El- Zakzaky arraigned, Shi’ites, police clash again in Kaduna

Members of the Islam Movement in Nigeria protested in Kaduna on Thursday following the arraignment of their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, at Kaduna State Chief Magistrate Court.

For the second day running, the Shi’ite members and policemen clashed over El-Zarzaky’s continued detention and a mobile policeman was killed in the latest incident.

An eyewitness said the policeman who was among the troops deployed to stop the Shi’ites protesters, was over-powered by the sect member around Ahmadu Bello Way.

“The policemen fired tear gas and live ammunition into the air and succeeded in pushing the protesters back. But the Shi’ites over-powered one mobile policeman around Kano road by Ahmadu Bello Way. He was mobbed to death and they even took his gun away,” the eyewitness said.

The Shi’ite leader was brought to court in continuation of the murder charge filed against him by the state government.

All routes leading to the court located in Gabasawa police station were blocked by stern looking policemen.

Journalists who arrived the court as early as 7:00 a.m. were barred from going into the court premises.

Meanwhile, Counsel to El-Zakzaky, Femi Falana (SAN), told journalists after the court session that the case did not hold as the Magistrate was said to be indisposed.